vermeulen



(No Model.)

J. VERMEULEN.

- KNIFE SHARPENER. I No. 434,366. Patented Aug; .12, 1890.

I M A TTOBNE Y8 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VERMEULEN, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

KNlFE-SHARPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,366, dated August 12, 1890.

Original application filed January 14, 1890, Serial No. 336,878. Divided and this application filed April 9, 1890. Serial No. 347,229. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN VERMEULEN, a subject of the King of Belgium, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Knife-Sharpener, (for which I originally filed an application for Letters Patent of the United States dated January 14:, 1890, Serial No. 336,878, allowed March 21, 1890, this being a division of the said original application,) of which the following is a full,'clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved knife-sharpener which is simple and durable in construction and specially designed to conveniently and quickly sharpen knives.

The invention consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the improvement. Fig. 4 is a I seetional side elevation of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig 5 is an end view of a modified form of the roller. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same; and Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of a modified form of the improvement.

The improved knife-sharpener A is provided with a suitably-constructed bed-plate B, from one end of which at the under side extends an L-shaped arm 0, in which screws a screw D for securely fastening the bed-plate B to a table or a bench.

On the top of the bed-plate Bis arrangeda casin g E, provided with a vertically-extendin g slot F, into the lower part of which pass the rims of two sharpening-rollers Gand G, held on shafts H and H, mounted to turn in suitable bcarings in the casing E and parallel with the sides of the transverse slot F. Each of the rollers Gand G has \/-shaped annular ridges G on its periphery. The outer short edges of the V-shaped ridges touch at the center of the slot F, as is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, so that when a knife is inserted in the said slot F and pressed down on the rollers and drawn inward or outward this knife-edge comes in contact with the short edges of the ridges of the two rollers G and G, and is thereby sharpened.

The shafts H and H are each provided on one outer end with a toothed wheel I or 1, respectively, each having V shaped teeth adapted to be engaged by a rectangular plate J, held between the two wheels and adapted to engage oppositely-arranged teeth, so as to prevent the said wheels from turning and to hold the rollers G and G in place. The plate J is secured at one end on a transverselyextending shaft K, arranged to slide in suitable bearings in the casing E, and provided at its other end with a head K, on which presses one end of spring L, held inasuitable offset E, formed on the rear end of the casing E. The spring L has the tendency to press the head K outward, thus holding the plate J in contact with the front face of the casing E, at the same time engaging the said plate with the toothed wheels I and I. When the roolers G and G have become worn by use at a point which extends into the slot F, then the operator presses on the head K of the sh aft K, so as to shift the latter inward, thereby disengaging the platev J from the notched wheels I and I. the said notched wheels the distance of one or more teeth, so that new points of the ridges G of the rollers G and G pass into the slot F. The shafts H and H may also be mounted to turn in bearings fitted to slide longitudinally in the casing and held adjustable by a setscrew, as shown in Fig. 7. In case the rollers are worn on their peripheries, thenso as not to touch in the slot, the bearings are moved inward until the rollers meet.

When the operator desires to sharpen a knife, he places the knife-blade in a vertical position, with the edge downward, and inserts it in the slot F until the knife-edge rests on the \l-shaped ridges G of the two rollers G and G. The operator then draws the knifeblade transversely several times, pressing down on it, so as to hold the knife-edge firmly in contact with the V-shaped ridges of the rollers G and G while drawing the knife for- The operator can then turn ward and backward. The knife is thus sharp- I ened.

The sharpening-rollers G and G are made of suitable material, preferably of solid steel or emery, or they may be made of a series of washers placed on the respective shaft 11 or II, as plainly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In order to hold the several washers on the shaft, the latter is provided with a flattened side, and a corresponding aperture is formed in each washer.

It will be seen that the device is very simple in construction, can be cheaply manufactured, and will form an indispensable household article.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a casing having a transverse slot, of transverse sharpeningrollers within the casing at opposite sides of said slot and provided exterior to the casing with toothed operating-wheels, and means for locking the said wheels against turning, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a casing having a transverse slot, of transverse sharpeningrollers within the casing and provided exterior to the same side of the casing With toothed operating-Wheels, and a movable plate between the said toothed wheels and engaging them with its opposite ends to lock them in place.

3. In a knife-sharpener, the combination, with a casing having atransverse slot, of two rollers arranged opposite each other and extending with their peripheries into the said slot, shafts carrying the said rollers and mounted to turn in the said casing, toothed Wheels secured on the shafts, a plate adapted to engage the said toothed wheels, and a spring-pressed shaft fitted to slide and carrying the said plate for moving the latter into and out of contact with the said toothed- Wheels, substantially as described.

.IOIIN VERMEULEN.

Witnesses:

'lHEo. G. IIOSTER, C. SEDGWIGK. 

